


Four Cups of Tea

by spacemutineer



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: 221B Ficlet, ACD Canon References, Community: acd_holmesfest, F/M, Fluff, Gift Fic, India, John "Three Continents" Watson, Love, M/M, Retirement, Tea, Tibet, UST, Vignettes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1678133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacemutineer/pseuds/spacemutineer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four cups of tea are windows into the courses of three lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Cups of Tea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mainecoon76](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mainecoon76/gifts).



> Written in honor of 4-timer [](http://mainecoon76.livejournal.com/profile)[**mainecoon76**](http://mainecoon76.livejournal.com/) for the Spring 2014 [](http://acd-holmesfest.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://acd-holmesfest.livejournal.com/)**acd_holmesfest** exchange on the theme "the fourth time".

* * *

_Earl Grey_

Mrs. Hudson – she's still adjusting to the name – knocks quietly. "Tea?"

A groan behind the door. The Battle of Trafalgar must not be going well. Trouble with the masts again.

Charles opens his studio's door and steals his cup along with her kiss.

"When I finish this canvas, we are traveling, darling. Inland."

* * *

_Darjeeling_

Heavens, but she is beautiful. The wicked heat even at this hour in Bombay blesses a glow to her toffee skin. He is struck by the focus in her eyes, even when she is only serving tea.

"Doctor?" She leans closer to pour. Much closer. "You are working late again."

"It seems so are you, Fahima."

She is even more beautiful when she blushes.

* * *

_Cha Süma_

Holmes should have known. What else could it be?

It wouldn't be a problem if he didn't have to drink so much of it. But the Tibetan custom of refilling a guest's cup after every sip left him little option.

Butter tea was one thing to get used to, but yak butter tea was rather another.

* * *

_Chamomile_

Chamomile is calming, so Mrs. Hudson brewed a pot before broaching the subject she'd held her tongue on for so many years.

"Don't let him go to Sussex alone, John. You are all of love he will ever know. You've always been."  



End file.
